The Taylors Creek Fishway just north of Ghow (Kow) Swamp in northern Victoria has been officially opened, connecting 1000 kilometres of waterways for large bodied native fish. 

The fishway connects the Murray River, Little Murray and Lower Loddon rivers, Pyramid, Taylors, and Gunbower creeks, and Ghow Swamp.

It is part of the Gunbower and lower Loddon Fish Passage Works project, building eight new fishways and upgrading three to connect 530km of open Murray River to 560km of local waterways.

Over the years, fishways have been built on the Little Murray River, lower Loddon River and Box Creek, and recently two new fishways on Gunbower Creek at Cohuna and Koondrook.

North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Major Projects Manager Tim Shanahan said fish migration was important ecologically, culturally, and economically for the region.

“Large numbers of native fish such as golden perch congregate at Taylors Weir. For native fish to thrive, they need to be able to migrate up and down rivers, and these fishways enable them to do that,” he said.

“Man-made barriers such as weirs, pest species, and climate change all hamper native fish. We have now given them the best chance possible to access food, breed, and ultimately survive. 

“Increasing native fish populations also increases recreational fishing and ecotourism opportunities. Recreation fishing contributes more than $300 million a year to the wider regional economy.”

Mr Shanahan said the fishway construction couldn’t have happened without the close partnership between the CMA, Goulburn-Murray Water, the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation

“Ghow Swamp is a place of archaeological and immense cultural significance for the Yorta Yorta Nation,” he said.

“Goulburn-Murray Water managed construction of the fishway and will operate it going forward.

“Partnerships such as these benefit the entire community. Working closely together ensures cultural sites are protected, there is no disruption or extra costs for irrigators, and the environment gets a massive boost.”

The $6.5 million Taylors Creek fishway project is funded jointly by the Victorian Government’s $2.7 billion Building Works package to support projects and jobs across Victoria as part of its COVID-19 economic recovery, and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder’s Environmental Activities Framework.

Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Dr Simon Banks said projects like this were critical in helping to rebuild fish populations which had seen substantial decline over the past 150 years. 

“While the use of Commonwealth environmental water has provided benefits for the Murray–Darling Basin’s rivers and wetlands and the animals and plants they support, native fish populations are still well below historical levels,” Dr Banks said.

“This project is a great example of how complementary activities being rolled out across the Basin with on-ground partners can further enhance the environmental benefits we’re able to achieve with our water, as well as support First Nations cultural connections. 

“Our contribution to this project is partly funded from the sale of allocations, which is one of the tools I use in managing Commonwealth environmental water to ensure the best environmental outcomes from the Commonwealth holdings.”